I can recomend the Isomac grinders (if you can find one). A burr grinder is de-rigeur for the coffee enthusiast. I had a blade grinder once (one of those little whizzy ones). I use it for spices now.

Hey Chaude

I like the pictures - I was there myself last weekend but didn't actually go into Belfast.

Just one comment (which I only picked up on because it's something I do as well) - some of the pictures aren't level. For example, if you look at the vertical lines in the last picture (building columns and lampost) they are all slanted. Should be easy to correct.

WG

Genius...

I was tempted to say "I shoot in manual all the time and also like to tie both hands behind my back and wear an eyepatch". Obviously manual settings are useful and in some cases they are the only option. It's also useful to practice this way to gain an understanding of the settings. However, I don't see the point in making things harder for yourself where there isn't a benefit.

Some people are used to it or prefer it. Fine.

Some people prefer to take advantage of the camera's technical wizardry (and use Av mode etc). Also fine.

What I don't like is when people try and push their self-imposed limitations on others. There is a breed of snob out there that believes you're less of a photographer if you shoot in anything other than manual. Nonesense...

Personally I use Av most of the time. I'll switch to shutter priority if the situation demands and I also use manual on occassion. I don't think I've used full auto more than a couple of times to see what it did when I got it out of the box.

With a wide angle you are more likely to have it stopped down a bit anyway (unless you're taking lots of indoor shots for some reason).

I hear lots of praise for the Sigma but don't hear as much for the Tamron. Maybe that is just because the Sigma is more prevalent. For £10 more I'd be tempted to go for the Sigma but maybe someone who has used both could shed a more considered opinion on the two?

Of course, there is loads of praise for the Pentax 12-24 but that is silly money if you ask me.

If you can afford to wait a bit (I know, LBA is not very forgiving in that area) then Sigma are releasing an even wider wide angle very soon. This could be an even better option for you but it may also create a flood of secondhand wide angles as people upgrade. I'm tempted to wait for reviews of the new lens before I go for something wide.

Hmm... Nothing in my email box - I ordered the 2x at the weekend.

To be honest it could be a blessing. The original order email ignored my request to get it delivered to work and says it is being delivered to home. I haven't told the other half yet...

Thanks Carmagw, just ordered one. Have been um-ing and ah-ing about ordering a secondhand one from LCE who have them in stock from time to time for £99. Getting a new one for that price does indeed seem to good to miss.

I know that autofocus isn't supposed to operate on the Sigma 100-300 with it, but enough people have convinced me that it is fine.

Due to a misunderstanding I have ended up with 2 circular polarisers with a 72mm ring (see my thread in the general digital photography section).

I was aiming to obtain one circular and one linear in order to attempt a variable ND filter effect. Rather than try and reverse mount one of them I thought I'd see if anyone has a good quality linear polariser they would like to exchange for a circular one. Or if someone has a 72mm linear they have knocking around and don't use I'd be willing to buy.

The circular polariser on offer is a Panasonic DMW LPL circular polariser. It is in perfect condition and has had limited use as I haven't really had any serious outings with the camera since I got it. For some reason these seem to go for megabucks new online but I think that is just because there is limited availability. I certainly didn't pay over £100 for mine! It does seem well made though and is very thin (hence why I could originally believe it was a linear polariser).

I am based in London if someone wants to meet to exchange or it could be posted. Assuming a swap I think both parties could just cover their own postage.

Any interest?

Well my Marumi filter turned up. Haven't had much chance to use it yet but it seems a solid piece of kit and nice and slim. It does indeed have a thread at the front for affixing another filter so I was all go to try out the variable ND effect...

... but nothing happened.

The image went from polarised to not polarised but I couldn't vary the light coming in at all, never mind blocking out incoming light entirely.

The only answer I could come up with was that my "linear" polariser was actually a circular polariser. I turned the filter around and held it in place and, sure enough, it gave the effect I wanted.

A bit more searching on the internet and it turns out that the Panasonic DMW LPL 72 may actually be a circular polariser. When I bought it I'd looked and all evidence seemed to suggest the LPL meant it was linear. Panasonic's website now lists it as cicular so that must be right.

As an aside this may explain why I never got any exposure problems with a linear polariser...

This bit of good news leaves me in a pickle as I can't use the filters together the way I wanted to. I could try and get a macro coupler but finding a 72/72 seems tricky and this would probably add to any vignetting as the filters would be further apart. I could try and take one apart and reverse the glass but that seems a fine way to ruin a decent circular polariser. The last option is to source a linear polariser. Extra cost unless someone wants to swap a 72mm linear for a 72mm cirular.

Frustrating

WG

Good spot Gwyn! Reassuring to see them releasing updates for cameras from so far back. Wouldn't have expected that at all.

Looks like they are all to do with SDHC cards so maybe it was easy to roll out to all. Nothing groundbreaking - I've not seen many reported problems in this area. Do you think it is increasing the maximum card size that can be used?

I now need to wait a year for Samsung to produce the equivalent update for the GX20